


Of Summer fey and Winter elfs

by FriendlyNeighbourhoodWriter



Series: Fairy au [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, DBH Secret Santa 2020 (Detroit: Become Human), Fey AU, Fluff, M/M, badass cuties, for connork1000, rk1k - Freeform, summer prince markus, winter prince connor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:54:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28656057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FriendlyNeighbourhoodWriter/pseuds/FriendlyNeighbourhoodWriter
Summary: Summer Prince Markus and Winter Prince Connor are forced into an arranged marriage to settle peace between their Courts. They don't like it, but when they get to know each other they realize it might not be as bad as they thought.
Relationships: Connor/Markus (Detroit: Become Human)
Series: Fairy au [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2182968
Comments: 10
Kudos: 53
Collections: DBHSecretSanta2020





	Of Summer fey and Winter elfs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Connork1000](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Connork1000/gifts).



> This is my gift for Connork1000! I hope you don't mind an AU :) Here are badass cuties RK1K

As Markus looks up to the brown-eyed Winter prince standing a few feet away from him, he wonders if this was a good idea. 

_Not just a Winter prince_ , he corrects himself, his _husband._

Connor looked incredibly out of place in the small garden where the two decided to go; dressed in black like no Summer Fey would ever do, with his dark hair and pale skin that stood out against everything in the court. Not to mention Markus could _feel_ the Winter magic swirling around the prince, going against everything that was natural for Markus. 

And yet, somehow, his father and the Winter queen had decided that they should get married. That after thousands of years of war and hatred, wedding two princes against their will was the solution to their problems. Markus had felt devastated when he heard the news, not even from the Summer king himself, but from North, his father's jester and Markus’ best friend. 

The only silver lining was that even though the wedding was held at the Winter Court, Queen Amanda and King Carl had agreed they were to live in the Summer Court, meaning that Markus could stay home. 

It, however, also meant that Connor was here now, in Markus’ home, a constant reminder of how Markus could never choose the one he loves, for he is ever bound to Connor. 

Still, this is what Markus has been given, and he has to work with it. 

“So,” He says carelessly. “You want to do this?” 

The Winter prince sighs, a stray curl on his forehead bouncing as he does so. “You know you're just signing up to get beat, right?” 

Markus grins, slowly drawing his daggers. “You seem confident, even when we're at my house.” 

Connor only rolls his eyes, his hand going to his sword but not yet drawing it. Summer Magic is obviously much stronger in the Summer Court, and although both kinds of magic exist everywhere in their land, Markus knows Connor feels how much his own magic is repressed in the heart of Arcadia. 

“Even so,” Connor says confidently. “You don't stand a chance against me.” 

Those words should send shivers of fear down Markus’ spine. If a Winter Prince would threaten him like this months ago, they would have. But, surprisingly, Connor wasn't that... bad. He is uptight and does his best to show no emotions whatsoever, but in the last weeks Markus got to know him and, well, maybe it's not _all_ bad. So, Markus grins. “Want to bet?” 

“No,” Connor is quick to turn that down; making bets and contracts never end well in this world, and coming from the Winter Court, Markus supposes Connor knows that better than him. “But do you want to bore me to death or...?” 

He still hasn't drawn his sword, but Markus tightens the hold on his daggers anyway, forcing himself to stand casually in the grass. “Ready when you are, Prince.” _Show me what you've got._

The small twist of Connor’s lips is the only warning Markus gets before the Winter Prince draws his sword in one quick motion, sending a spray of ice shards flying towards Markus like daggers. Reacting quickly, Markus jumps aside, lifting his daggers to block Connor’s incoming sword, the brunet now only inches away from him. 

After blocking a savage blow from above, Markus ducks and rolls aside, grabbing a ball of leaves from his pocket and pulling the Summer magic around it as he tosses it. The ball hits the ground and explodes to reveal a large boar, which squeals and charges towards Connor. 

Connor immediately responds, bringing his icy sword down and the boar explodes, harmless leaves falling to Connor’s side. Markus is there right away, bringing one dagger up to Connor’s face while the other slices at his stomach. Connor only has one sword, and while he blocks Markus’ first knife, he twists to the side to avoid the other. He uses his momentum to continue moving, shoving his sword to the side to force Markus’ hand down and kicking him in the back of his knees. 

Markus sees the kick coming, but isn’t fast enough and although the kick doesn’t hit him fully, he still stumbles, slashing his knives to the side to force Connor back as he regains his balance. Connor only takes a moment to dodge the knives before attacking again, his blade a force of efficiency and precision as he slices high and low, and Markus has to give his all to keep up with him, attacking just as often as he defends. 

A vicious attack from Markus sends Connor a few steps back, his sword held up defensively as the clatter of metal on metal echoes through the garden. He doesn’t stop though, and immediately charges forward again, his sword striking from the side this time. Markus easily blocks it, but misses the movement from Connor’s free hand, which now holds an ice dagger, and Markus jumps back. He’s fast enough to dodge the ice, but he messes up his defense, and Connor’s sword slides down his arm, drawing blood. 

Both men pull back for a moment, Connor studying his sword as Markus’ blood drips down from the tip. His eyes flick to Markus’, and he smiles. 

Markus scoffs, dropping the hand that has been clutching his wound. “You’ll have to do better than that, Prince.” 

Connor tilts his head. “Trust me,” He says, voice low and collected, making Markus suck in a breath. “I will.” 

He charges at Markus again, sword already striking down, forcing Markus to lifts his daggers again to block the strike. They move around the garden, weapons constantly clashing into each other as they fight, their movements elegant and matched, locked together in a deadly dance. 

Markus doges a nasty blow from the side, ducking and rolling away before Connor can bring his sword down. The temperature growing colder is enough to alert him of another wave of ice daggers flying his way, and Markus blows at them, sending Summer magic along with the wind. The shards turn into leaves and sticks that peacefully fall to the ground. Connor frowns as his deadly weapons are destroyed and Markus can't help but grin. _That all you got?_

Before Connor can attack again, Markus snatches a twig from the ground and throws it at him while changing it into a copy of himself. He stands back as he watches Connor observe the magic and fight the copy, his eyes darting between the fake and the real Markus. 

As Connor fights, Markus carelessly grabs another twig, creating another Markus who charges at Connor. Not many Fey can pull off this trick, but Markus is the son of the Summer king and well, the Winter prince is gonna have to work if he wants to win this. 

Connor seems to be able to hold his own, though. His sword dashes around so fast it seems just a blur of blue and white as he blocks the daggers charging at him. Markus watches with fascination as Connor sends another wave of spikes towards one of the clones, forcing it to jump back and creating some breathing room for Connor. Making no sound, Markus pulls himself back into the many vines covering the garden walls, changing one last twig and ordering it to go into the tree in the middle of the garden as he pulls a cloak of magic around himself. 

The first Markus attacks again and instead of blocking Connor dodges underneath his knives, slicing his sword clean through his stomach. The Markus vanishes, a broken twig landing on the floor. Connor doesn't even look back at the other Markus, but rams his swords back, sharp edge turned up, and the Markus runs straight into it, also turning back into a twig. 

As Connor looks up, his stance becomes guarded and he raises his sword as he realizes Markus has vanished. Markus can't help but grin as brown eyes scan the garden, unable to see past Markus’ magic. A yell shocks Connor back into action as the third Markus jumps from the tree and attacks. Connor manages to dodge him and quickly ends the last Markus. 

While he does so, Markus takes his chance to drop his disguise and attacks. Connor only then realizes what's going on, and barely manages to block his attack. One of Markus’ daggers slices his shoulder, hitting his cheek as Connor tries to twist away, drawing blood. 

Connor doesn't seem to feel it, though, as he uses Markus proximity to punch him in the stomach with his free hand, making the older elf wheeze. Not allowing Connor that opening, though, and kicks out while driving his now bloody dagger at Connor's face, causing him to stumble. Markus tries to swing his dagger at him again at his wounded arm, forcing him to fall, but Connor twitches his body to the side, ignoring his injury and grabbing Markus’ arm, pushing him to the floor instead. 

They fall together, and the air is pushed out of Markus’ chest as he hits the floor. Connor lands better, and he quickly recovers, grabbing Markus as the Summer Elf twists on his back. Connor pushes his knee onto Markus’ chest and places his sword at his throat. Despite his panting the sword is steady, and Markus stares at it for a second before letting his head fall into the grass, his hands dropping at his sides as he accepts defeat. 

Connor smiles, staring down at Markus. “I win.” 

Markus hums, taking a few slow breaths to calm his racing heart and heaving chest. “You fight well for a Winter Fey.” 

A snort escapes Connor, and he shakes his head, a drop of blood rolling down his cheek. “You shouldn’t taunt the one that has a sword to your throat.” 

“Ah,” Markus says, eyeing said sword. “But you can't kill me, remember? You swore an oath.” 

A shadow crosses Connor's face, and Markus studies him carefully. It's been a fight to get Connor's emotions to display, to see what lies underneath that frozen mask of indifference. Markus knows there's something, someone, there, and he knows Connor is hurting. He can't imagine what it must be like, being in the enemy's court while his family is back home, married to a stranger, bound by their promises. 

“I can still hurt you.” 

Markus chuckles. “I think we're already past that.” He lets go of one of his daggers, leaving it in the grass as he lifts his hand. Connor eyes it suspiciously, but lets Markus raise it to his face. The Summer Prince carefully wipes away the dark blood on his cheek, the wound already close to fully healed. Connor's skin is cold under his fingers, but it doesn't repel Markus. He might think he likes it; it makes Connor unique, here. 

He removes his hand again, showing his bloody finger to Connor, who had frozen in place at Markus’ touch. 

A shudder runs through Connor's body, but he just rolls his eyes. Markus drops his hand again, his fingers curling into the grass, reaching out towards the Summer Magic inside the earth. “But,” He says while a grin spreads on his lips. “I can humor you.” 

Sending his Magic through the garden, into the tree, Markus forces a branch to swing at them, and Connor is taken by surprise as he is flung through the air, off Markus. He lets out a yelp as he lands, but doesn't move as Markus sits back up, grinning down at the fallen Prince. “I win.” 

Connor looks like he's ready to slap himself for this, but then lets his shoulders drop as he relaxes into the grass, throwing Markus an ‘I can't believe you've done this’ look. 

“You fight well for a Summer Fey.” Connor says, not making a move to get up from the grass. 

Markus walks towards him and extends his hand. “I know,” Connor sighs, looking at Markus' hand. “Come on.” 

For a moment, Markus thinks Connor is just going to leave him hanging, but then he pushes himself up and grabs his hand, allowing Markus to help. Markus doesn't know why that sends his stomach to twirl. 

Now that their fight is over, Connor sheets his sword, he opens his mouth but closes it again, changing his mind. Instead, he folds his hands behind his back and gives a short nod. “I appreciate you taking me here,” Markus inwardly sighs. There's that tone again, that façade Connor pulls up whenever he doesn't know what to do or feels threatened. “It's a good training spot.” 

Markus doesn't let his sadness show. They got somewhere, just now. Markus got a glimpse of the real Connor as they fought, of the warrior that he is, the sassy Prince who yields his sword with the confidence of a lion, not just an emotionless pawn in their parents play, like Markus had thought before. 

“Yeah,” He says, trying to ignore the sudden awkwardness. “Come on, there's something else I want to show you.”

* * *

Markus leads them through the halls of the palace, and Connor does his best to remember each hallway, each corridor and turn they take. He hates how he doesn't know where they're going, where the next turn will lead, what the way back is. He’s completely reliant on Markus to guide him. 

In the past weeks he's done his best to map out the Summer palace, but every time he thinks he's got it figured out, the halls seem to change. It's almost as if the palace is playing with him, clearly not wanting him there, and Connor has gotten lost more than once. 

He misses the Winter Palace so much, where he grew up and spend hundreds of years learning its layout, its hidden passages and secret doors. He misses the white and blue of the glittering ice, the cold wind that never affected him, the overwhelming Winter Magic ready to do as he pleased. He even misses his brothers. Even though they play nothing but dangerous and treacherous games, stab each other in the back every day and fight all the time, he knew what to expect from them. They're his _family._

_And they left you here_. A voice whispers to him. _Amanda rather sent you away to her worst enemy than keep you at home_. 

Connor straightens, pulling his face in an icy mask he has perfected over the years. _Don’t feel._ It doesn’t matter, he needs to fulfill his duties as the oldest son of the Winter Court, and if that means following a beautiful Summer prince through green hallways then so be it. 

“Where are we going?” Connor asks, voice calm and controlled as he rolls his shoulder, feeling his wound healing already. 

Markus hums, as he does often, being vague. “You'll see.” 

Repressing his frustration and anxiety of not knowing, Connor continues to follow Markus. Markus, in his colorful clothes, Markus with his warm skin and his heterochromatic eyes, Markus with his _Summer Magic_ and trickery. Markus, his _husband,_ who Connor swore to stand by, who... 

Who is the only good thing about this place. 

Connor hates to admit it, but he likes Markus. Maybe that's not bad, since they're married and all, but it goes against everything he's ever been taught. He can't just _like_ a Summer Fey. He just can't. 

Markus pushes away some vines that create an entrance to a room beyond Connor's sight. The Summer Prince stands aside, smiling softly as he gestures for Connor to go ahead. Is this some sort of trap? 

Connor walks through the vines, carefully looking around the room he finds himself in. It's... empty. 

The room is small, not much larger than his bedroom in the Winter Court. The walls seem to be made out of trees, pressed together so closely that there are no gaps, standing together in a circle as their branches reach high above their heads, creating a ceiling of leaves. The ground is covered in grass, like most of the palace is, but somehow it seems... wrong. The colors are less vibrant, there are no flowers anywhere like Connor got used to. It almost reminds him of the woods that surround both courts, the neutral ground in where he loves to hunt. _Loved._

He pushes that thought away and turns to face Markus, who is leaning against the entrance, watching Connor's reaction. “What is this?” Connor asks. 

Markus doesn't move. “Don't you feel it?” 

Connor moves back into the room, frowning. _Feel it?_

There is something... different about this room, but Connor can’t quite place his finger on it. He walks further into the room, letting his hand glide over the wooden walls, wondering. He can feel the magic flowing through the trees, through the grass, through everything, but- 

Suddenly it hits him. The _magic_. It’s not like it is in the rest of the Summer Realm. It’s- normal, neutral. For this first time in days Connor can feel the Winter Magic as strong as he would feel it if he were out hunting, not restricted underneath the suffocating warmth of Arcadia. Without realizing it, he smiles, and he experimentally lets the magic flow through him, dropping the temperature of the room. 

He turns back to Markus, who is now looking at him smugly. For once, Connor is dumbfounded. “How?” Is all he manages to say. 

Markus shrugs, and looks away, rubbing the back of his head, suddenly nervous. “I know this- situation, is not something either of us wanted,” He says. “And I can't imagine what it must be like for you, being away from home.” 

Now it's Connor's turn to drop his gaze as Markus looks back at him. He remains silent when Markus continues. 

“I figured you might appreciate a space where the Summer Magic wasn't as strong as it... well, is.” 

“We're in the middle of Arcadia,” Connor says, looking back and ignoring his feelings that start to thaw. “How is this possible?” 

Markus shrugs again. “I used a favor from Carl.” 

At that, Connor's eyes grow wide. A favor? Favors are the most precious things in their land, more so than any amount of money. When a fey owes another fey a favor, they are bound by magic to do what the other desires, no matter the request. And Markus used a favor from the _Summer king_ to- 

“To give part of his land back to the woods?” For _him._

“Yeah, well,” Markus pushes himself off the wall. “No matter how we got to this point, we're in this together. I know you don't want this, neither do I but-” 

Connor nods, waiting for Markus to continue. “I think, we could make it work, if you want to.” 

The ring on his finger feels suddenly much heavier as Connor swallows, but he is honest as he answers, not breaking eye contact. “I do.” 

Markus sucks in a breath, but nods, and Connor only then realizes that he spoke the words they were forced to swear weeks ago. Now, however, he doesn't mind them. 

“Okay,” Markus smiles, starting to walk away. “I'll leave you to it. Come find me if you want.” 

Connor hesitates, and Markus walks away. “Markus,” Connor says before he can leave, and Markus turns back. “Thank you.” 

In the Winter Court, Connor would have never dared to utter those words, they could be used against him, could be interpreted as weakness, as if he owes someone something. But Markus only smiles that stunning smile. 

“You're welcome.”


End file.
